Prognostic Factors on the Positivity for Metastases of the Axillary Lymph Nodes from Primary Breast Cancer

Aim: The aim of the study was to identify the impact of T stage, the presence of estrogen, progesterone, HER2neu receptors and the values of the Ki67 on the positivity for metastases of the axillary lymph nodes, from primary breast cancer.

Material and methods: 290 surgically treated patients for breast cancer were included in the study. All cases have been analyzed by standard histological analysis including microscopic analysis on standard H&E staining. For determining the molecular receptors - HER2neu, ER, PR, p53 and Ki67, immunostaining by PT LINK immunoperoxidase has been done.

Results: Patients age was ranged between 18-90 years, average of 57.6+11.9. The mean size of the primary tumor in the surgically treated patient was 30.27 + 18.3 mm. On dissection from the axillary pits 8 to 39 lymph nodes were taken out, an average of 13.81+5.56. Metastases have been found in 1 to 23 lymph nodes, an average 3.14+4.71. In 59% of the patients there have been found metastases in the axillary lymph nodes. The univariate regression analysis showed that the location, size of tumor, differentiation of the tumor, stage, the value of the Ki67 and presence of lymphovascular invasion influence on the positivity of the axillary lymph nodes. The presence of the estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and HER2neu receptors showed that they do not have influence on the positivity for metastatic deposits in axillary lymph nodes. The multivariate model and the logistic regression analysis as independent significant factors or predictors of positivity of the axillary lymph nodes are influenced by the tumor size and the positive lymphovascular invasion.

Conclusion: Our study showed that the involving of the axillary lymph nodes is mainly influenced by the size of the tumor and the presence of lymphovascular invasion in the tumor. Ki67 determined proliferative index in the univariate analysis points the important influence of positivity in the axillary lymph nodes, but not in the multivariate regressive analysis.